a) the fact that I left for my honeymoon in mid July and was in Spain and Portugal for 2 weeks, where the movie hadn't yet released
b) movie tickets were almost impossible to get, with even midweek night shows sold out
c) This is the kind of movie that needs a second viewing, and I mean that in a good way
'The Dark Knight' (hereafter referred to as TDK), released on July 18th, floating on clouds of success and tremendous critical and popular acclaim. The film continues from where the previous film in the series, Batman Begins, left off.
That film, inspired by the darker tones of Frank Miller's 'Batman: Year One' graphic novel traced the origins of Batman and the events and motivation behind why billionaire Bruce Wayne chose to fight crime from behind a mask and the symbol of a bat. It left us with Inspector Gordon (Gary Oldman, who continues his role here) hinting at an escalation in crime and violence in Gotham city and with Batman promising to look into the crimes of Gotham's latest demented villain; someone who left this as a calling card:
TDK, inspired by the tone of Miller's graphic novels and by 'Batman: The Long Halloween' sets itself no cinematic constraints, takes its inspiration and leaps off the novel's pages with it.
TDK starts off big with a set-piece at the Gotham bank, tying in perfectly to Inspector Gordon's lines at the end of the last movie about stranger criminals and more violent crimes.
However Gotham has been seeing better times. Armed with the constant encouragement and advice of his butler Alfred (Michael Caine again) and a more flexible body suit and gadgetry from Wayne Enterprises scientist Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), Batman's emergence as a vigilante crime fighter has reduced crime and has driven the gangs underground. The new upright DA Harvey Dent (a wonderful Aaron Eckhart) is making the right noises and is willing to help Inspector Gordon do what is necessary to crack down on the gangs' source of funds. In their desperation to see a return to old times, the gangs turn to a crazed psychopath - the Joker.
The Joker turns out to be more than just a foil for Batman. Causing chaos and foiling Batman's best laid plans being his only goals, the Joker adds a psychological twist of the knife to every little defeat that the Batman encounters.
With traps set for Gotham's citizens and for Batman at every step, the Joker ensures that every confrontation involves difficult questions and life and death choices for the Batman; all of which are designed to force him to unmask the man behind the bat.
As Gotham's White Knight and crime crusader (with Batman therefore being The Dark Knight) Harvey Dent finally gets caught up in Joker's wave of violence and with a little encouragement (and a personal tragedy) makes a riveting transformation.
Ultimately though, the questions are these:
Does the film work? Is it worth a watch (or two)? Is it better than the previous film?
'TDK' is a tremendous movie, the best recent entry in the superhero genre, because it is ambitious enough to try and be a little more than just a standard summer blockbuster, because it is well written and directed, because the performances - from Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart in particular are top notch, because the action now jumps at you off the screen instead of being clouded in smoke as in 'Batman Begins' - a car chase with the Joker in a monster truck drew instantaneous applause.
The reason the movie is terrific is because of the Nolans' script that makes the story plausible and roots it in a Gotham city that seems real, and populated by folk that are as affected by the modern world's problems as the populace of any big city today - Terrorism? Check. Moral decrepitude? Double check. Corrupt elected officials? Check. Violence escalation? Check. A big brother government? Check.
Some of these fears are ours, some of these people (granted, on a terrible day) could be us and this could easily be our city.
Normal citizens could be shot at just as they drive along on the streets, ferry passengers could be blown up, a hospital could explode. This is truly a city in chaos and Batman's problems are more mental and psychological than just physical.
There is one other reason why this movie is tremendous and that is Heath Ledger. In his last completed film role, Ledger owns the screen and every second that he's on it. Right from his introduction, to his first scene with the mob, his Joker is a devious, devilish character - a crazed, psychopathic terrorist. This is the kind of performance that lets you see why Ledger might have been so affected by the role and his interpretation so as to lead into the depression that later claimed his life. A posthumous Oscar nomination is well within the realms of possibility.
This tremendous movie though isn't without a few flaws - the movie fails to pause enough (despite its 152min running time) to let the really important bits stay with you, the end does seem a little preachy as Nolan drives home his point and some scenes seem unnecessary while others feel like more time could have been devoted to them and might need a 2nd viewing.
These are minor quibbles in a really good movie that just falls short of greatness. See it once for the action and spectacle and see it again, just for Heath Ledger.
This bat sure does fly.
